Machulishchy (air base)

Last updated
Minsk-Machulishchy
Flag of the Belarusian Air Force.svg
Machulishchy, Minsk Region in Belarus
Belarus Air Force Sukhoi Su-27UB Pichugin-1.jpg
Belarus adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Machulishchy
Shown within Belarus
Coordinates 53°46′25″N027°34′38″E / 53.77361°N 27.57722°E / 53.77361; 27.57722
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus
Operator Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus
Site history
In useUnknown - present
Battles/wars 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Airfield information
Identifiers ICAO: UMLI
Elevation204 metres (669 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
15/332,955 metres (9,695 ft)  Concrete

Machulishchy is an air base of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus located in Machulishchy, Minsk Region, Belarus.

It is home to the 50th Composite Air Base, flying Antonov An-26s, Ilyushin Il-76MD's, Mil Mi-8s and Mil Mi-24s. [1]

It has served as a strategic bomber base for the Soviet Union. It also served as a Soviet Air Defence Forces interceptor base. [2]

The primary operator was the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment. Machulishchy was one of nine major operating locations for the Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder in the mid-1960s. [3] In August 1960, six Tu-22 aircraft from Machulishchy deployed to Olenya air base in the arctic region under naval control, indicating the regiment had a dual Navy-Air Force mission serving an anti-surface warfare role. [4] This capability covered the Baltic Sea with deployment capability into the Barents Sea region.

Later in the 1970s, an interceptor regiment at Machulishchy operated Sukhoi Su-9 Fishpot interceptors, upgraded in 1979 to MiG-23P aircraft. [2] [5] At the time, the airfield was still host to the Tu-22 Blinder ASM regiment.

On 26 February 2023, two explosions were reported at the base. Russian aircraft and equipment were damaged. [6] [7] Russian A-50 aircraft may have been targeted. [8] The explosions were a result of sabotage from Belarusian partisans. [9]

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On February 26, 2023, at the Machulishchy military airfield, around 12 kilometers from Minsk, a Russian A-50 early warning military aircraft was damaged as a result of explosions. BYPOL claimed responsibility for the drone attack. Alyaksandr Lukashenko acknowledged the attack only a week later, stating that the damage to the aircraft was minor. Later, he admitted that the A-50 still had to be sent to Russia for repairs.

References

  1. ↑ "Minsk-Machulishchy (UMLI) Мінск-Мачулішчы". Scramble.nl. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 FLOGGER G AT PVO AIRFIELDS, USSR, CIA-RDP80T01355A000100800001-9, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, August 1, 1980.
  3. ↑ PROBABLE ASM ASSOCIATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY, SELECTED SOVIET AIRFIELDS, CIA-RDP78T05161A001000010061-1, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, October 1, 1966.
  4. ↑ (UNTITLED), CIA-RDP89B00569R000600020011-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, July 6, 1962.
  5. ↑ PHASEOUT OF FISHPOT IN APVO STRANYY AIRFIELDS USSR, February 1981, CREST: CIA-RDP81T00380R000100980001-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
  6. ↑ King, Chris. "BREAKING: Unconfirmed reports of attack on Belarus air base and soldier killed in border clashes with Ukrainian troops". euroweeklynews.com. EuroWeekly News. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  7. ↑ "Explosions occur at Machulishchy airbase in Belarus, Russian aircraft damaged". yahoo.com. Yahoo! Life. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Explosions near Machulishchy air base in Belarus: Russia's A-50 aircraft might be hit". ukrinform.net. Ukrinform. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  9. ↑ "Belarusian partisans sabotaged in Machulishchy". news.yahoo.com. Yahoo! News. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
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